Top Teachers: Mesa Hinkle

Mesa Hinkle found her inspiration as a student inside a Henrico County elementary school. Today, she shares it with her own students inside a Henrico County elementary school.

Hinkle has spent 29 years as part of the county’s public school system – 13 as a student at Trevvett, Brookland Middle and Hermitage High and 16 as a teacher.

Now in her sixth year as a first-grade teacher at Glen Allen Elementary, following one year at Dumbarton E.S. and nine at Carver E.S., Hinkle is as excited as ever about what she does and about the children she teaches.

“It’s really special to watch them grow from September though June,” she said. “It’s amazing to see the progress that they make with their reading and writing. They’re so enthusiastic, and they get excited about everything and anything.”

Hinkle recalled being called to a career in teaching when she was a first-grade student herself, in Suzanne Boswell’s class at Trevvett Elementary years ago.

“She had a love of learning and was able to present things in different ways for different learners,” Hinkle said. “She made learning fun.”

Now, Hinkle is the one passing on those lessons to her own first-graders.

“She is a loving, guiding, nurturing teacher and it shows in her daily instruction and interactions with her students,” one nominator wrote. “She makes learning fun while challenging her students to be the best they can be.”

Said another: “Her high expectations and dedication to the success of each student has impacted my son, who is currently in her class. She is willing to try new things and use a variety of approaches to meet his needs.”

Hinkle stays in regular contact with the parents of each student and uses small-group differentiated instruction as a way to effectively reach students who learn at different speeds or who have different needs. Her positive attitude and frequent encouragement to her students were cited by several nominators as strengths.

“As a former teacher, I recognize how positive she is in her dealings with children - accentuating the positive every day,” one nominator wrote of Hinkle. “The reaction of my grandson is obvious. All teachers should have the commitment to their profession and respect for children that Mesa has.”

The 10th Annual Filipino Festival will be held Aug. 7-8 at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, 8200 Woodman Rd., beginning with opening ceremonies at 5 p.m. Friday and continuing with live entertainment, food and exhibits until 10 p.m. On Saturday the festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. with a full schedule of performances featuring traditional Filipino dance, music and song.

Filipino cuisine, including BBQ, pansit, lumpia, adobo, halo-halo, lechon, empanada and leche flan, will be available for purchase. The festival will also feature a children's area, church tours, exhibits, and health screenings. > Read more.

The Children’s Museum of Richmond last week opened its new Short Pump location at Short Pump Town Center, to the delight of children who attended a sneak preview of the location July 10. The new facility, located under the forthcoming LL Bean store (formerly the food court) is 8,500 square feet in size – much larger than CMoR’s former Short Pump location at West Broad Village, which opened in 2010. The new space includes The CarMax Foundation Service Station, the Silver Diner, a grocery store, a performance stage and an art studio, as well as a giant Light Bright Wall. > Read more.

The Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Henrico Police are both presenting community events tomorrow, Aug. 1. The Feria Community Resource Fair at Richmond International Raceway brings together community service providers, embassies/consulates from Latin American countries, government agencies, nonprofit organizations and corporations that impact the Latino community. The Division of Police’s Community Day will feature demonstrations and displays from police, fire, animal protection and sheriff’s office, as well as family activities, food, entertainment and more. Other events this weekend include wine, chess and theatre! For all our top picks this weekend, click here! > Read more.

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